Detroit Tigers' Justin Verlander knew pitch count in first inning might put early end to bid for no-hitter

"I would have been caught up in a no-hitter like everybody else, and there's nothing wrong with that, but you can't do silly things." -- Jim Leyland

Justin Verlander allowed two hits in seven shutout innings Sunday as the Detroit Tigers completed a sweep of the Houston Astros.AP Photo

HOUSTON -- The most pitches Justin Verlander has ever thrown in a start is 133. The most he has thrown in a start this season is 126. How many would he have thrown Sunday afternoon before he was removed from the game even if his no-hitter remained intact?

Verlander said he didn't have the same feeling that he had when he threw his previous no-hitters, one against Milwaukee in 2007 and the other against Toronto in 2011.

"This was a little different, really, because I knew I threw almost 30 pitches in the first inning," Verlander said. "The second, third and fourth inning, really my only concentration was trying to lower my pitch count."

After throwing 26 pitches in the first inning and 98 through six, it looked like he was going to have to hand it off to the bullpen at some point before the ninth inning was over.

The single by Pena came on the 108th pitch of the game for Verlander.
Even if Pena had grounded out on the pitch, Verlander would have had
seven outs to record and about 22 pitches to do so.

"I didn't really think he had a chance to get there, to be honest with you with the pitch count," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "There were just too many early where it wasn't going to work out late."

Verlander has thrown 132 pitches in two regular-season games and once in the postseason. He threw a career-high 133 pitches in Game 5 of the 2011 American League Championship Series in a 7-5 victory over the Texas Rangers.

But the Tigers need him healthy over the course of this season, when they are expected to contend for a World Series title, as well as the long haul. Verlander signed an extension in the offseason that will keep him with the Tigers through at least 2019.

Leyland said he had a range in mind.

"I had 125 in mind, with a possible push to 130, max," Leyland said. "But it just didn't look like he was going to get there."

Leyland could have found himself in a difficult bind. If Verlander had held on to the no-hitter and was sitting at, say 124 pitches to start the ninth, what would he do? Say he left Verlander in there and he was sitting at 132 with one hitter to go? The problem with an at-bat is a manager has no idea how long it will go. It could end in one pitch. It could take nine or 10.

"I don't worry about stuff that I don't have to worry about anymore," Leyland said. "But I would have done what I felt like was the best thing to do for Justin Verlander's career and the Detroit Tigers.

"I would have been caught up in a no-hitter like everybody else, and there's nothing wrong with that, but you can't do silly things."

Verlander was removed from the game after seven innings. He threw 116 pitches, 80 of them for strikes.